


Say Something

by I_OfTheHawk



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Depressed Clint Barton, F/M, Mentions of killing but not graphic, New York battle aftermath, supportive Natasha
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-02
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-22 20:27:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11974407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_OfTheHawk/pseuds/I_OfTheHawk
Summary: Set just after Avengers, Natasha tries to offer support for her troubled Hawk. Based off a fanart I saw, I couldn’t find the photo but credits to whoever made it.





	Say Something

She entered the roof slowly, as if approaching a wounded animal. Her partner was settled at the corner of the building, perfectly still. His knees were pushed to his chest, his eyes looking at the world beneath him. She knew he was aware of her presence; he could always sense her. She sat behind him and slipped her arms around him, laying her head on his back.  
He stayed silent. The minutes stretched and stretched onward. Their positions didn’t change. His eyes were blood-shot with deep bags under them. He wasn’t adjusting, she knew that much. He wasn’t making any move toward recovering from…everything. How had Loki been able to take so much from them? She needed the silence to end, she needed Clint to come back to her. 

“Say something, Clint,” she whispered. He shuddered out a breath and he curled in on himself even more. She watched as a tear slipped from his eyes. She pulled him closer to herself, trying to give him the strength he needed to glue the shattered pieces back together. He had never cried, not after being tortured, not even when Coulson died – the man who became like a brother to Clint. This was bad. 

“I keep having dreams,” he started abruptly, then pressed his lips together tightly.

She was so close to getting him to open up. She was still as a statue, not wanting to cave in the barrier she had dug into. “I’m here, Clint,” she said softly, reassuringly. She had to, needed to help him be okay. 

“I keep having dreams,” he started again, letting out a shaky breath. “That he is still in my head,” he squeezed his eyes shut, “and he tells me to kill you and I do.” He removed his hands from around his knees and settled them on top instead, burying his face in his forearms. “It’s not a fast death either, Tash, I make you suffer.” His voice cracked on the last word. She rubbed his back.

“I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere, okay?” 

“Okay.” They sat in silence, just listening to each others breath for a bit longer. 

"C'mon, let's go eat dinner. The team's in there, waiting probably by now." She looks up to the sun, gauging the time. They definitely were about to eat. 

"No, s'alright." He sighed, "you go on ahead." Clint settled back into his position she found him in, hours ago. She pressed her lips together, she wouldn't force him - not until he was ready. 

"Okay I'll be up there if you need me." She doubted he would come to her. She always seemed to be the one seeking him out nowadays. 

"Okay." She got up, wary of her position so close to the edge of the roof and begun to walk back to the door before pausing and looking back to Clint. 

"Clint?" She called, his head turned toward her slightly. She knew he was listening. "Do you want to stay here? With the team?" She wanted to, it was the first time she had felt this, friendship, family. Other than Clint of course, but this felt different. Now there was a group of people that she would stand up for, even die for. If Clint wanted to leave though, go far away - secluded, and they cold both heal she would. In a heartbeat she would if it would help Clint. 

"You like them." He breathed, and nodded to the team, "you trust them." She smiled, he was always observant. 

"They're good people." She thought of Tony pretending to not care, Steve seeming to always make sure there are as coffee in the morning - he was usually the first up, or Bruce's silent support and Thor's love of pop tarts, when he was in Earth of course. 

"Do you want to stay? With them?" She did, she knew she did. 

"Only if you're here with me." And not this shell of a man, the empty light in his eyes scared her. "If you want to leave, we can." He pondered over her words, tilting his head before the smallest of smiles cracked and disappeared so quickly she thought she might have imagined it. 

"We can stay." She flashed an iota of a smile before nodding. 

"Alright, see you in a bit." She hoped. Hoped he wouldn't stay out here all night like he had begun to make a habit of. She hoped to feel him crawl into to the covers during the night, and wrap his arms around her. Assuring himself that she was there, alive, breathing. She took another breath before opening the door and stepping into the stairwell, towards the team.

**Author's Note:**

> Depending how this goes and if I ever get more inspiration lol...this could turn into a multi-chapter fic 
> 
> Hope everyone enjoyed!


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